Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for supporting an imaging device

US4728974A · kind A · utility

148Cited by
5References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 30, 1986
Grant dateMar 1, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 30, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB25J19/0025
  • WIPO fieldHandling
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

According to the invention, the fiber scope is inserted into the highly rigid tube and this tube is clamped as a rigid member by the robot wrist (or fiber scope supporting device) and camera supporting device, thereby allowing the camera supporting device and tube to move intergrally with the robot wrist. Therefore, no twisting of the fiber scope occurs within the operating range of the robot wrist axis. Also, even at any position in the operating range of the robot wrist axis as well, the angle of bend of the fiber scope can be held to a constant value below the allowable bending angly of the fiber scope. Consequently, it has been possible to realize an imaging device in which interference between the object to be worked and the optical system is remarkably improved.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.